As all of New England understandably freaks out about Tom Brady's never-ending knee surgeries, there is one source of optimism: the remarkable recoveries of a trio of players who underwent ACL surgeries last season. Philip Rivers, Ronnie Brown, and Deuce McAllister are playing like their procedures never happened.
Rivers was practicing in August and is playing the best football of his career. He leads the NFL in touchdown passes, and his accuracy has not been compromised. His deep ball somehow looks better. Ronnie Brown is cutting up a storm on his surgically repaired knee and ranks in the top-ten fantasy backs. He was never a great speed threat, but he still makes the first tackler miss as well as any back in the league. McAllister's story is the most remarkable. He's returned to prominence at 29 years old after a second ACL surgery and microfracture surgery on his other knee. The flash is gone from his game, but he presses a hole quickly and is tough to take down. He'll be a useful RB2 option while Reggie Bush is out.
Brady's case, of course, is complicated by his subsequent problems with infection. I'm not smart enough to comment knowledgeably on the situation, but another potential reconstruction sure sounds devastating. What we know from Brown, Rivers, and McAllister is that one reconstructive knee surgery doesn't appear to be the automatic fantasy downer it once was. At least that's what Brady's keeper league owners can quietly mumble to themselves as memories of his 50 touchdowns recede further in the rearview mirror.
On to happier topics: Week 8 Rankings! . For Week 8 projections for every player ranked here, head to Season Pass
Week 8 QuarterbacksRank | Player Name | Opponent | Notes |
1 | Drew Brees | vs. SD | - |
2 | Donovan McNabb | vs. ATL | - |
3 | Matt Schaub | vs. CIN | - |
4 | Philip Rivers | at NO | - |
5 | Jason Campbell | at DET | - |
6 | Brett Favre | vs. KC | - |
7 | Trent Edwards | at MIA | Probable(concussion) |
8 | J.T. O'Sullivan | vs. SEA | Sneaky 100K pick? |
9 | Kurt Warner | at CAR | Fierce Panthers pass defense |
10 | Ben Roethlisberger | vs. NYG | - |
11 | Peyton Manning | at TEN | - |
12 | Matt Cassel | vs. STL | - |
13 | Jake Delhomme | vs. ARZ | - |
14 | Eli Manning | at PIT | - |
15 | David Garrard | vs. CLE | - |
16 | Jeff Garcia | at DAL | - |
17 | Derek Anderson | at JAC | - |
18 | Marc Bulger | at NE | Probable(finger) |
19 | Chad Pennington | vs. BUF | - |
20 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | at HOU | - |
21 | Seneca Wallace | at SF | - |
22 | Kerry Collins | vs. IND | - |
23 | Brad Johnson | vs. TB | - |
24 | Matt Ryan | at PHI | - |
25 | Dan Orlovsky | vs. WAS | - |
26 | Joe Flacco | vs. OAK | - |
27 | Tyler Thigpen | at NYJ | - |
28 | JaMarcus Russell | at BAL | - |
QB Notes: Weird week. A lot of top quarterbacks are facing the best pass defenses. Peyton Manning has the Titans, who have given up one touchdown pass all season. One! A few weeks ago, I was filled with an unhealthy amount of self-loathing after ranking Manning as a QB2 because of a tough matchup again Baltimore. He's not quite that low this time around, but he can be benched for players like Jason Campbell and Trent Edwards with better matchups. Fear for the Colts offensive line against Albert Haynesworth. We'll see if I'm hating myself again Monday Morning.
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Other top quarterbacks with tough matchups: Kurt Warner faces a stingy Panther pass defense that shut down Drew Brees. Carolina is second in the league in yards-per-game allowed and yards-per-attempt allowed. With an improved pass rush to help out, Carolina's cornerback trio of Chris Gamble, Ken Lucas, and Richard Marshall matches up well with any group in the league. This will be a good test to see if the Cardinals can still be the Cardinals in the Eastern time zone. . Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger face of in Pittsburgh. Don't expect a repeat of the 33-30 game the two teams had in 2004. Ben is the better fantasy play because the Giants are more vulnerable through the air. The trick will be protecting him. For all the talk of Eli's development, his fantasy stats are remarkably similar to how they look every season, minus some interceptions. The Steelers lead the league in passing yards-per-game allowed, so he's a shaky play.
Another reason to believe Matt Schaub will remain a top-eight fantasy quarterback the rest of the season; Gary Kubiak loves throwing in the red zone. Schaub is first in the league in red zone pass attempts despite starting only five games. He's fourth in goal line attempts. Other quarterbacks who rank high on both lists: Kurt Warner, Jay Cutler, and Donovan McNabb. . J.T. O'Sullivan is the ultimate quarterback that can be better in fantasy than reality. He still ranks in the top ten in YPA and passing yards despite playing the Eagles and Giants the last two weeks. He lit up Seattle last time and their defense is in worse shape now. I'd play him with confidence.
I can't remember having this tough a week ranking people, probably because all the poor quarterbacks have good matchups. There is very little separation between spots #9-20. When push comes to shove, I still go with the better player over the better matchup if it's a toss up. The Garcia/Anderson/Garrard/Delhomme/Bulger group was especially hard to separate. Garrard is starting to play better, and I believe in him more than the others. The Cowboys are now a plus or neutral matchup, but I think their defense will be fired up to improve. I'm not fully buying the Jeff Garcia revival yet, although he's a decent QB2. It's hard to say if the Cardinals are a good or bad matchup, although their defense has not been the same on the road. Jake Delhomme is relatively steady, but unspectacular, against average defenses. The Panthers run a lot in the red zone. Delhomme is 26th in the NFL since Week 2 in red zone pass attempts. . Anderson could get benched if he struggles, so his "upside" probably isn't worth it. Bulger doesn't produce even when the Rams when. . The Colts are somehow first in the league at preventing fantasy points to quarterbacks, so stay away from Kerry Collins. . Matt Ryan grows more impressive by the week, but I don't like his chances on the road against a Jim Johnson defense. Expect a good "lesson" game by Ryan.
Rank | Player Name | Opponent | Notes |
1 | Clinton Portis | at DET | |
2 | Marion Barber | vs. TB | - |
3 | Frank Gore | vs. SEA | - |
4 | Brian Westbrook | vs. ATL | |
5 | Steven Jackson | at NE | Expected to start, keep eye on |
6 | Chris Johnson | vs. IND | - |
7 | Marshawn Lynch | at MIA | - |
8 | Steve Slaton | vs. CIN | Great matchup |
9 | Thomas Jones | vs. KC | - |
10 | LaDainian Tomlinson | at NO | Probable(toe) |
11 | Brandon Jacobs | at PIT | - |
12 | Michael Turner | at PHI | - |
13 | Ronnie Brown | vs. BUF | - |
14 | Maurice Jones-Drew | vs. CLE | - |
15 | Sammy Morris | vs. STL | Questionable(knee) |
16 | LenDale White | vs. IND | Cheap scores |
17 | Willis McGahee | vs. OAK | Probable(knee) |
18 | Jamal Lewis | at JAC | - |
19 | Jonathan Stewart | vs. ARZ | - |
20 | Willie Parker | vs. NYG | Fully expected to start |
21 | Deuce McAllister | vs. SD | - |
22 | Earnest Graham | at DAL | Moves up if Dunn is out |
23 | Julius Jones | at SF | - |
24 | DeAngelo Williams | vs. ARZ | - |
25 | Ahman Green | vs. CIN | Sneaky play |
26 | Cedric Benson | at HOU | Waiver pickup |
27 | Justin Fargas | at BAL | - |
28 | Dominic Rhodes | at TEN | - |
29 | Edgerrin James | at CAR | - |
30 | Warrick Dunn | at DAL | Questionable(back) |
31 | Tim Hightower | at CAR | - |
32 | Fred Taylor | vs. CLE | - |
33 | Darren McFadden | at BAL | - |
34 | Fred Jackson | at MIA | - |
35 | Jamaal Charles | at NYJ | More explosive than Smith |
36 | Ricky Williams | vs. BUF | - |
37 | Kolby Smith | at NYJ | Expected to start |
38 | Mewelde Moore | vs. NYG | |
39 | LaMont Jordan | vs. STL | Moves way up if Morris is out |
40 | Derrick Ward | at PIT | - |
41 | Jerious Norwood | at PHI | - |
42 | LeRon McClain | vs. OAK | - |
43 | Correll Buckhalter | vs. ATL | - |
44 | Kevin Smith | vs. WAS | Probable(shoulder) |
45 | Maurice Morris | at SF | - |
46 | Rudi Johnson | vs. WAS | - |
47 | Pierre Thomas | vs. SD | Could be him or Stecker behind Deuce |
48 | Leon Washington | vs. KC | - |
49 | Darren Sproles | at NO | Probable(ankle) |
50 | Kevin Faulk | vs. STL | - |
51 | Shaun Alexander | at DET | - |
52 | Ray Rice | vs. OAK | - |
53 | Kenny Watson | at HOU | - |
54 | Aaron Stecker | vs. SD |
RB Notes: Mike Tomlin said it earlier in the week: The Giants offensive line is as good as any offensive line in recent history. Couldn't agree more. Eli Manning doesn't get touched in the passing game, but their run blocking takes it to another level. Consider this: Brandon Jacobs is on pace for over 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns. His backup, Derrick Ward, is on pace for 1,200 total yards! Including Ahmad Bradshaw, the Giants backfield is on pace for over 3,000 yards from scrimmage this year. The schedule gets much tougher down the stretch, starting this week against the Steelers. I can't imagine benching Jacobs in any format, but Ward isn't a great flex play because of the tough matchup. . Ryan Grant ran harder last week against Indy, but the results were still not great. After getting 64 carries in two weeks, Grant is at risk of breaking down. It's a great time to sell while you can.
The Colts struggled to push the Packers up front, which doesn't bode well for their matchup with the Titans. Most of Dominic Rhodes' yards came when the Colts went four wide and delayed a handoff. Translation: The Colts just can't gain rushing yards by blocking people hat on hat. Joseph Addai has an outside chance to play this week, but avoid waiting for the Colts backs if possible. . It feels strange to defend Jamal Lewis, who has been a punch line in this space in previous years. But he's actually playing better than his numbers would indicate the last two weeks. The passing game is limiting his scoring chances, but he still has great vision and is finding holes. Stick with him against the Jaguars. . It looks like Steven Jackson will play this week. Monday Night's game notwithstanding, the Patriots rush defense is average. Start him. . Brian Westbrook is fully practicing again, making Correll Buckhalter a useful fantasy reserve. . Julius Jones' dustup with Mike Holmgren may not help his chances of fending off a Maurice Morris committee.
Justin Fargas is clearly Tom Cable's guy. Oakland has a tough matchup against Baltimore, so Fargas and Darren McFadden should both be on fantasy benches. McFadden has topped 50 rushing yards once all season and is now getting only 8-10 carries a game. Frank Gore's offensive line is absolutely terrible, especially when facing a physical defense. Luckily, they get the lightweight Seahawks this week. The Saints' run blocking has improved throughout the year. They have opened up some big holes for Deuce McAllister the last two weeks and he's responded with decisive cuts and a yards-per-carry average over five. The Chargers are no longer a tough matchup, making McAllister a decent bet to score. He's a solid RB2 for the week. Aaron Stecker and Pierre Thomas should get involved behind him, but it's uncertain who will be the backup.
I continue to rank Jonathan Stewart ahead of DeAngelo Williams because he's more likely to score. Stewart owners hoping that he'll eventually take over are going to be disappointed though. The Panthers backs complement each other well and share snaps on nearly every drive. It's working for John Fox and he's unlikely to change his strategy. . LenDale White is actually running worse than last season, but playing on the rejuvenated Titans has it's perks. Jeff Fisher loves using him near the goal line, much to the consternation of Chris Johnson owners. It's hard to sit the NFL leader in rushing touchdowns, especially against the Colts, who are softer than White's midsection. . Michael Turner and Ronnie Brown have been inconsistent and face tough matchups, but there just aren't overly reliable options to rank in front of them this week.
Sammy Morris is ranked as if he'll start. That's far from certain to happen. If Morris is out, a healthy LaMont Jordan would climb into the top-25. BenJarvus Green-Ellis figures to be third on the depth chart at best. . Ahman Green and Cedric Benson are both sneaky plays this week because of the matchup. We said to start Green as a flex against the Lions last week and it's fair to expect a similar performance against Cincy, one of the worst rush defenses in the league. Benson may not look great, but he should get 15-20 touches in a plus matchup. . Earnest Graham owners should keep an eye on Warrick Dunn's status. . Jamaal Charles will come off the bench, but he's got a better chance than Kolby Smith to break a big play against a shockingly stout Jets rush defense.
Week 8 Wide ReceiversRank | Player Name | Opponent | Notes |
1 | Steve Smith | vs. ARZ | - |
2 | Andre Johnson | vs. CIN | - |
3 | Lee Evans | at MIA | - |
4 | Larry Fitzgerald | at CAR | - |
5 | Santana Moss | at DET | - |
6 | Plaxico Burress | at PIT | Probable(finger) |
7 | Reggie Wayne | at TEN | - |
8 | Randy Moss | vs. STL | - |
9 | Roddy White | at PHI | - |
10 | Marques Colston | vs. SD | Keep the faith |
11 | Braylon Edwards | at JAC | - |
12 | Calvin Johnson | vs. WAS | Big test |
13 | Jerricho Cotchery | vs. KC | Status Uncertain (shoulder) |
14 | Laveranues Coles | vs. KC | Status Uncertain (head) |
15 | Santonio Holmes | vs. NYG | - |
16 | Anquan Boldin | at CAR | Questionable(head) |
17 | Wes Welker | vs. STL | - |
18 | Vincent Jackson | at NO | Keep eye on Chambers' status |
19 | Hines Ward | vs. NYG | - |
20 | T.J. Houshmandzadeh | at HOU | Questionable(ankle) |
21 | DeSean Jackson | vs. ATL | - |
22 | Chad Ocho Cinco | at HOU | - |
23 | Terrell Owens | vs. TB | The Brad Johnson effect |
24 | Dwayne Bowe | at NYJ | - |
25 | Antonio Bryant | at DAL | - |
26 | Josh Morgan | vs. SEA | We have the fever |
27 | Muhsin Muhammad | vs. ARZ | Probable(knee) |
28 | Lance Moore | vs. SD | - |
29 | Matt Jones | vs. CLE | Avoids suspension for a week |
30 | Marvin Harrison | at TEN | Boom or bust |
31 | Derrick Mason | vs. OAK | - |
32 | Donnie Avery | at NE | - |
33 | Greg Camarillo | vs. BUF | - |
34 | Kevin Curtis | vs. ATL | Expected to start |
35 | Devery Henderson | vs. SD | - |
36 | Kevin Walter | vs. CIN | - |
37 | Antwaan Randle El | at DET | - |
38 | Torry Holt | at NE | How the might have fallen |
39 | Joey Galloway | at DAL | Questionable(foot) |
40 | Isaac Bruce | vs. SEA | - |
41 | Malcom Floyd | at NO | Keep eye on Chambers |
42 | Anthony Gonzalez | at TEN | - |
43 | Reggie Brown | vs. ATL | Status Uncertain |
44 | Justin Gage | vs. IND | Questionable(knee) |
45 | Donte' Stallworth | at JAC | - |
46 | Roy Williams | vs. TB | - |
47 | Steve Smith | at PIT | - |
48 | Mike Furrey | vs. WAS | - |
49 | Amani Toomer | at PIT | - |
50 | Bobby Engram | at SF | - |
51 | Steve Breaston | at CAR | Would move way up if Boldin is out |
52 | Patrick Crayton | vs. TB | - |
53 | Arnaz Battle | vs. SEA | - |
54 | Josh Reed | at MIA | - |
55 | Chansi Stuckey | vs. KC | Keep eye on Coles/Cotchery |
WR Notes: Wideout and tight end notes will be added Thursday afternoon.
Rank | Player Name | Opponent | Notes |
1 | Jason Witten | vs. TB | - |
2 | Chris Cooley | at DET | - |
3 | Antonio Gates | at NO | - |
4 | Owen Daniels | vs. CIN | - |
5 | Tony Gonzalez | at NYJ | - |
6 | Jeremy Shockey | vs. SD | Expected to start |
7 | Dallas Clark | at TEN | - |
8 | Todd Heap | vs. OAK | Matchup is right for a breakout |
9 | Vernon Davis | vs. SEA | - |
10 | Anthony Fasano | vs. BUF | - |
11 | Heath Miller | vs. NYG | - |
12 | Bo Scaife | vs. IND | - |
13 | Zach Miller | at BAL | - |
14 | Ben Watson | vs. STL | - |
15 | Marcedes Lewis | vs. CLE | - |
16 | John Carlson | at SF | - |
17 | Billy Miller | vs. SD | Keep eye on Shockey |
18 | L.J. Smith | vs. ATL | - |
19 | Steve Heiden | at JAC | Questionable(pectorals) - Keep eye on Winslow |
20 | Alex Smith | at DAL | - |
21 | Robert Royal | at MIA | - |
22 | David Martin | vs. BUF | - |
23 | Dustin Keller | vs. KC | - |
24 | Alge Crumpler | vs. IND | - |
Rank | Player Name | Opponent | Notes |
1 | Ravens Def/Spec Team | vs. OAK | - |
2 | Eagles Def/Spec Team | vs. ATL | - |
3 | Buccaneers Def/Spec Team | at DAL | - |
4 | Titans Def/Spec Team | vs. IND | - |
5 | Giants Def/Spec Team | at PIT | - |
6 | Steelers Def/Spec Team | vs. NYG | - |
7 | Jets Def/Spec Team | vs. KC | - |
8 | Bills Def/Spec Team | at MIA | - |
9 | Redskins Def/Spec Team | at DET | - |
10 | Patriots Def/Spec Team | vs. STL | - |
11 | Texans Def/Spec Team | vs. CIN | - |
12 | Cardinals Def/Spec Team | at CAR | - |
13 | Jaguars Def/Spec Team | vs. CLE | - |
14 | Raiders Def/Spec Team | at BAL | - |
15 | Seahawks Def/Spec Team | at SF | - |
16 | Rams Def/Spec Team | at NE | - |
17 | Fortyniners Def/Spec Team | vs. SEA | - |
18 | Cowboys Def/Spec Team | vs. TB | - |
19 | Chargers Def/Spec Team | at NO | - |
20 | Colts Def/Spec Team | at TEN | - |
21 | Panthers Def/Spec Team | vs. ARZ | - |
22 | Dolphins Def/Spec Team | vs. BUF | - |
23 | Browns Def/Spec Team | at JAC | - |
24 | Falcons Def/Spec Team | at PHI | - |
25 | Saints Def/Spec Team | vs. SD | - |
26 | Bengals Def/Spec Team | at HOU | - |
27 | Chiefs Def/Spec Team | at NYJ | - |
28 | Lions Def/Spec Team | vs. WAS | - |
Rank | Player Name | Opponent | Notes |
1 | Shaun Suisham | at DET | - |
2 | Stephen Gostkowski | vs. STL | - |
3 | Nate Kaeding | at NO | - |
4 | Nick Folk | vs. TB | - |
5 | Josh Scobee | vs. CLE | - |
6 | John Carney | at PIT | - |
7 | Kris Brown | vs. CIN | - |
8 | Jason Elam | at PHI | - |
9 | Joe Nedney | vs. SEA | - |
10 | Rob Bironas | vs. IND | - |
11 | David Akers | vs. ATL | - |
12 | Josh Brown | at NE | - |
13 | Jay Feely | vs. KC | - |
14 | Taylor Mehlhaff | vs. SD | - |
15 | John Kasay | vs. ARZ | - |
16 | Matt Bryant | at DAL | Probable(hamstring) |
17 | Jeff Reed | vs. NYG | - |
18 | Sebastian Janikowski | at BAL | - |
19 | Adam Vinatieri | at TEN | - |
20 | Rian Lindell | at MIA | - |
21 | Neil Rackers | at CAR | - |
22 | Olindo Mare | at SF | - |
23 | Shayne Graham | at HOU | |
24 | Phil Dawson | at JAC | - |
25 | Matt Stover | vs. OAK | - |
26 | Jason Hanson | vs. WAS | - |
27 | Connor Barth | at NYJ | - |
28 | Dan Carpenter | vs. BUF | - |